Your Acre Of Diamonds Is In Manyoro, Not Dubai

“Manyoro says: Ali Hafed left his farm to search diamonds in far desert and died poor. Buyer found diamonds in same farm – Golconda! Ghana youth leave Navrongo for Accra and abroad to search success – while success waits in their backyard garden.” – Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU

The Tragic Tale of Ali Hafed and Apewe of Manyoro

In ancient Persia lived Ali Hafed, rich, happy farmer. A priest tells Hafed: if you own diamonds, you would be richer and help many. He goes to bed feeling poor and unhappy.

Ali sells farm, puts his family under a neighbour’s care. He travels to distant lands in search of diamonds. The search took him to Babylon, Egypt, and Europe but to no avail. He spends all his money and becomes poor. He throws himself into the sea and dies.

The one who bought Ali’s farm leads a camel to the stream that runs through the garden and discovers diamonds. Golconda – richest mine in the world – in Ali’s own farm.

In Manyoro, Apewe faces same situation. He has fertile land, shea trees, knowledge, writing abilities but says, “No opportunity in Manyoro, let me go to Accra, Libya, Dubai for greener pastures.” He travels to Accra, but no high-paying job. He does menial jobs, life became a daily struggle. He became stranded abroad. No shelter, no food – wretched life!

Apewe’s friend stays back. Takes to serious farming and prospers.

Your acre of diamonds may be right where you are and not in distant lands. Og Mandino said it so well: “Many of us spend our lives searching for success when it is usually so close that we can reach out and touch it.”

When I told my daughter we were standing on money, she didn’t see it. It was when we sold vegetables from our backyard garden that she understood me.

Ghana is blessed with abundance of natural resources – gold, cocoa, oil, lithium, fertile lands, but mass exodus of youth to foreign countries in search of success. They have what it takes to succeed in Ghana. Their acres of diamonds are not in Canada, America or China, but here in Ghana.

WHY MANYORO IGNORES ITS DIAMONDS – 5 Reasons We Don’t See Near Success

1. Familiarity Blindness: Familiarity blinds us from seeing opportunities. Nose is too close to eyes, eyes don’t see it. We despise and overlook what we have. Manyoro bush looks ordinary but has acres of diamonds: shea trees, dawadawa, and other economic resources as sources of money.
2. Greener Grass Syndrome: We think success is abroad, not here in Ghana. Social media whitewashing – shows fake life.
3. Lack of Knowledge: Ali didn’t have knowledge of diamonds. The youth don’t know opportunity looks like work. Opportunities are not seen with your eyes. They are seen with your mind.
4. Poor Dad Thinking: Parents tell their children to travel to the commercial towns or travel abroad to seek out success. They emphasise getting a chain of degrees, white collar jobs – to become successful.
5. No Digging; Your acre of diamonds is not in Dubai, it is in Manyoro -dig. Diamonds need digging. Pay the price, get the prize. Manyoro needs sweat – no pain, no gain. The youth want quick money – sakawa, betting games and lottery.

DECODING MANDINO/CONWELL – 7 Diamonds In Your Own Acre – Simplified for Ghana

1. DIAMOND 1 – Know What Diamond Looks Like { Knowledge Is Eye}

Ali Hafed didn’t know diamond in rough – resembles black stone.

Conwell says: “Greatness comes not when things go always good.”

In Manyoro, shea looks like ordinary nut, but butter is gold internationally. Dawadawa, ayoyo, writing skills, look insignificant but diamond/money.

Robert Toru Kiyosaki wrote: “Opportunity is not seen with eyes. Mind sees opportunity.”

ACTION: What ordinary thing in Manyoro you overlook? List 5 things around you that could be money.

2. DIAMOND 2 – Your Place Is Your Mine {Stay and Dig}

Russell Conwell said: “You can render to your country no greater service than to become best citizen in place where God placed you.”

Og Mandino’s University of Success says success principles are universal, work anywhere and everywhere.

In Ghana, instead of searching for greener pastures, stay in Manyoro and make it great. I stayed, have 200+ articles, Manyoro is becoming famous because of my articles.

ACTION: What corner of Manyoro will you commit to improve? – school, clinic, writing club etc.

3.DIAMOND 3 – Every Adversity Has Seed of Greater Benefit { Problem = Diamond}

The great Og Mandino said: “Every adversity has seed of equivalent or greater benefit.”

In Manyoro, if soil is poor, plant hardy crops. No jobs, create jobs through creativity and innovation. No water, build reservoir – you become leader.

Ghana: Youth complain – no light, no road. Problem=Diamond.

Identify a problem and provide a solution. That is money.

ACTION: What is the biggest need in Manyoro? That certainly is your diamond mine.

4.DIAMOND 4 – Find Need and Fill It {Conwell Secret}: Conwell said it perfectly when he observed: “Secret of success is to find a need and fill it.”

Manyoro is a fast growing town that needs – food processing, large market with shops, educational facilities, poultry, automechanics, welding, electricals, carpentry etc.

My backyard garden solved a need: vegetables to improve diet, school fees etc.

Ghana: We import tons of rice. We have fertile lands across Ghana. We have ignored our own diamonds.

ACTION: Ask 10 people in Manyoro: What do you need? Fill it and watch money flow in.

5.DIAMOND 5 – Dig Deep – Persistence Wins {Don’t Sell Farm Too Early}

Ali hastily sold his farm. He didn’t dig deep.

Og Mandino observes: “Failure will never overtake me if my determination is strong enough.”

Manyoro proverb says: “Water that stays long in pot becomes sweet palm wine.”

Ghana: Youth start farm 3 months and quit. “This is not working.” Diamond digging needs depth.

ACTION: What will you dig deeper this month? Is it writing, farming, trading etc.

6.DIAMOND 6 -Your Skill Is Diamond

According to Mandino, a trained mind creates wealth. My writing skill is diamond. It touches lives and builds my name. I am known home and abroad.

Manyoro: Youth have different skills – farming, hunting, singing, building but undervalue it.

ACTION: What skill you have that looks small? Sharpen it – that is diamond.

7,DIAMOND 7 -Love Light, Endure Darkness {Faith}:

Mandino famously said: “I will love light for it shows me way, endure darkness because it shows stars.”

When it comes to Manyoro farming, we have rainy season and dry season. Both are needed.

Manyoro youth need patience. Diamond mining not overnight, Golconda built over years.

ACTION: Bear with current darkness – rising school fees, small income -stars coming.

MANYORO ACRE TEST – 10 Questions To Find Your Diamonds

1. What do people in Manyoro complain about?
2. What do you have in abundance around your house?
3. What skill do neighbours ask you for?
4. What did your grandfather do that made money?
5. What waste in Manyoro can become wealth {compost, shea shell}

COMMON MISTAKES GHANAIANS MAKE – Why They Leave Their Acre.

1. Think success is in distant place, not where they are.
2. Despise small beginnings -garden, hen, goat, one article
3. Want quick diamonds -betting, fraud, sakawa, not digging.
4. Don’t study what diamond looks like – no knowledge
5. Sell farm prematurely -quit too soon.

CONCLUSION -Manyoro Diamond Challenge

Challenge: 30 Days Acre of Diamonds: God doesn’t hide things far away from us. Don’t travel far, dig near. Each day find one diamond in your backyard: - idea, skill, need, resources!

Call-To-Action: Making the world better starts where you are – Manyoro.

Final Quote: “Many of us spend our lives searching for success when it is usually so close that we can reach out and touch it.” In my own words: “Your acre of diamonds is not in Dubai, it is in Manyoro – dig. Hunter travels 100 miles for meat ignores chicken in hut.”

QUOTES FOR THIS ARTICLE

1. “Success does not hide from discerning eyes – it waits to be seen.” – Abundant Robert AWOLUGUTU
2. “Faith plus confident expectation makes miracles – Ali Hafed lost faith in his farm, buyer had faith and found diamonds.” – Abundant Robert AWOLUGUTU
3. “Where you are planted, there your diamonds wait – dig deep, don’t depart.”- Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
4. “Mine the mine, mine the mind – your richest acre is between your ears.” – Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
5. “What the mind sees clearly, the hands can hold firmly – see diamonds in Manyoro, you will hold them.”- Abundant Robert AWOLUGUTU
6. “Ali Hafed searched world for diamonds and died poor – his buyer searched his stream and became rich. Difference? Eye, not land.” – Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
7. “Dubai shines with buildings, Manyoro shines with diamonds – but only digger sees shine.”- Abundant Robert AWOLUGUTU

Yours in inspiration,
Abundant Robert K. AWOLUGUTU
Writer and Author
GOLDEN SUNRISE